An image processing apparatus, such as a multi-function machine including a printer, scanner, facsimile machine, and copier or functions thereof, generally includes a communicating unit (such as a NIC (Network Interface Card) or a modem (Modulator-Demodulator)) that communicates with an external apparatus (such as a computer or other image processing apparatuses) through a communication medium such as a network or telephone lines. Some of such image processing apparatuses include a function (hereinafter, a sleep function) for shifting into a power-saving state (generally, a sleep mode) with lower power consumption than a normal operation state if a predetermined sleep condition is satisfied in the normal operation state.
The sleep condition includes, for example, a condition that no operation is performed for an operation input unit included in the image processing apparatus and no data are received from an external apparatus through the communicating unit for a certain time period or more. In other cases, the sleep condition may include a condition that the current time is within a time zone set in a predetermined time schedule (e.g., weekly schedule).
In the power-saving state, for example, energization (power supply) is cut off to the devices such as a fixing apparatus including a heater and a control circuit, while the communicating unit is often maintained in an energized state. This is because in the power-saving state, energization of devices in non-energized state is automatically resumed according to a request from an external apparatus to allow the devices to automatically return to the normal operation state. For example, in an image forming apparatus shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-101606, when an energized communicating unit receives a print request in a power-saving state, the entire apparatus is energized to form an image in accordance with the received print request.
In an image forming apparatus shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-186425, when an energized controller receives an access request for a hard disk from an external apparatus through a network in a power-saving state, energization of the hard disk is started to perform the requested processing.
In an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-063101, when a print request is received through an external interface in a power saving state where a sub-CPU and the external interface are supplied with electric power from a subpower supply, the sub-CPU supplies electric power to a main CPU that controls the entire apparatus to perform printing.
An image processing apparatus usually includes a plurality of controlling units. Each controlling unit has a memory unit that keeps control information, such as firmware (program), control parameters, etc., and carries out control over various devices (control through execution of programs and reference to the control parameters) on the basis of the control information. The controlling unit, for example, includes a print controlling unit that controls a device related to image formation (printing), a scan controlling unit that controls a device related to reading of a document image, a post-processing controlling unit that controls a device carrying out a post-processing, such as punching and stapling, on a recording paper bearing an formed image, and a main controlling unit that executes overall control over the above local controlling units.
The image processing apparatus may has a function of obtaining the latest version of control information from an external server, which keeps the latest version of control information, through an NIC and replacing control information kept in the controlling unit with the latest version of control information (hereinafter, called a control information download function) when a version up is executed for the control information kept in the controlling unit is present.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-288066 discloses a system operating in such a way that a computer in a service center transmits the latest version of control information (firmware) to a copier via a communication controller connected to the copier to update control information kept in the copier.
Usually, a controlling unit of an image processing apparatus is incapable of performing normal control processing while updating control information (programs and control parameters) kept in the controlling unit.
This leads to such a trouble that processing in progress is suspended or execution of a new processing request is delayed due to updating the control information when updating of the control information is carried out in a situation where an image processing is in progress or a request for execution of the image processing seems to be raised with high possibility.
If the image processing apparatus carries out a control information updating processing in a time zone during which the image processing apparatus rarely works (at night, on holiday, etc.), the controlling unit must be kept in energized state until such time zone and therefore, there is a problem that the electric power is consumed wastefully.